Game apparatus



0. SMITH I GAME APPARATUS Filed July 27, 1920 Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES OBERLIN SMITH, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed July 27, 1920. Serial No; 399,244.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OnnnLiN SMiTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to games of the nature of ten-pins, and more particularly concerns table apparatus comprising groups of pins for several players and a suspended ball or missile, and the especial object is to provide apparatus of such construction as to facilitate ready assemblage and disassemblage of parts, compact storage, when disassembled, and, requiring a minimum of material, to substantially lessen manufacturing cost. Other objects and advantages are hereinafter set forth. The invention, therefore, consists in the game apparatus having the characteristics of construction described by or included within the language of the appended claims. 1

In the annexed drawings;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the invention, arranged for two persons to play the game;

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the means for detachably connecting the arms and pedestal.

Briefly described, the apparatus comprises a pedestal or platform from the center of which rises a post or mast from which the ball is suspended by a flexible device such as a cord or chain and groups of pins arranged concentric with the post, and the game is played by the players, in turn, throwing or projecting the suspended ball at an adversarys pins.

The post or mast, M, has at the top a freely revolving swivel, H, from which the ball, B, is suspended by a string or cord, C, and it rises from a pedestal, P, in the center, in the form of a comparatively thin disk of wood or other suitable material, the disk having at its center a tapering hole in which the tapered bottom of the post is inserted, friction tight. The swiveled hook, H, is of wire, terminating at one end in an eye to receive the cord, C, and at its other end in a straight shank inserted in an axial hole in the top of the mast, M, and while said shank may be of any desired length it preferably is short as possible for compactness sake in packing.

Radiating from the disk are groups of approximately equi-distant arms, A, in the form of rods or spindles. As shown in the drawing there are two groups of arms, A, each group consisting of three arms, and extending in an arcuate line between the outermost arms of each group, is aseries of sockets, S, advantageously formed of wire bent into a collection of'partial rings connected in a series, the piece of wire at each extremity of the series beingupturned. to

form a vertical stem, s, adapted to engage a hole in the adjacent arm, A, and thereby the sockets are held in fixed position and at the same time the arms braced. Preferably, the sockets of one group are formed of two sections, each of a length to extend between two adjacent arms, this arrangement besides other advantages possessing the advantage of requiring but small space for the sockets when the apparatus is dismantled and is packed for storage or transportation. The diameter of the socket rings is slightly more than the diameter of a ten pin, T. By the provision of the sockets the ten pins may be easily and quickly set up. The ten pins may be of the conventional or other desired form but the conic'al or tapering form shown in the drawings is desirable because it combines the advantages of a broad base, low center of gravity, and small target for the ball, thus adding to the difliculty of knocking them over and, hence, adding to the interest of the game.

Extending in an are between the arms, A, of a group and at a point outside the row of sockets of that group is a guard, G, advantageously made of Wire bent alternately back and forth and curved at the bends to provide a series of open-ended loops, al-

ternate ones of which, with their open ends upward may be placed so as to aline with the ten pins when in their sockets and hence be in a position to catch and support a falling ten pin in an inclined position, the guard being spaced from the upright ten pins a distance less than their length. Thus, the fallen ten pins are prevented from tumbling to the floor when the apparatus is used on a table and they are held for convenient setting up. Moreover, the loops of Wire are more or less'springy and form a cushioned support that diminishes noise and prevents marring of the ten pins. The guard is also preferably made in two sections, each of a length to extend between adjacent arms of a group and the terminals of each section are straight and extend downward so that they may be thrust into holes, a, near the ends of the arm and thereby be held detachably but nevertheless firmly in place.

The arms, A, are detachably connected with the pedestal, P. This is securely, yet inexpensively done, by driving an ordinary nail, N, vertically and diametrically across the arm socket in the pedestal, near the inner end thereof, and sawing a slot, 8, inward from'the socket entering end of the arm which intersects a hole, It, drilled or bored diametrically thru the arm at an angle to the slot, 8, so that when the arm is inserted in the socket in the pedestal and the hole,

, it, reaches the nail and then the arm, A,

rotated it will lock with the nail and thereby be held in place. By a reverse operation the arm may be detached from the pedestal.

v The hole, It, is in the same plane with the holes in the arm that receive the socket and guard wires and hence no change of position of the arm is necessary in boring all the holes, a thing which makes-for economy of manufacture. When the socket extremities are inserted in theholes in the arms the latter is thereby restrained from turning and hence the connection between them and the pedestal is secure against accidental separation.

The apparatus constructed as shown is sturdy when set up, the parts when disassembled occupy but little space when packed, the wire form sockets and guards are light and contribute an ornamental appearance to the apparatus when set up, and withal the cost of manufacture is small.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus of the kind described having a post, a missile movably supported from the post, a base from which the post rises, slender arms radiating from the base, and a single piece of wire extending from one arm to another and connected detachably at its ends to the respective arnis, said wire between the arms being bent horizontally to form sockets for the reception of the bases of pins adapted to be struck by the movable'm'issile.

2. A game apparatus of the kind 'described comprising a center pedestal and radiating arms entering holes in the pedestal, the arms having a detachable connection with the pedestal comprising a diametrically extending pin in the pedestal hole, and a slot in the end of the arm terminating in a laterally offset notch.

3. A game apparatus of the 'kind de scribed comprising a center pedestal and radiating arms entering holes in the pedestal, the arms having a detachable connection with the pedestal comprising a diametrically extending .pin in the pedestal hole, a slot in the end of the arm terminating in a laterally offset notch, and a member of the apparatus engaging said arm and preventing turning thereof.

4. A game apparatus of the kind described, comprising a center pedestal, radia ing arms detachably connected with t e pedestal, twomembers of wire extending between and detachably connected with the arms, one wire being bent to form a series of vertical open-ended'loops: and the other bent to form a series of horizontal sockets, that receive the bottoms of the pins, when set upright, and spaced from the loops a dis tance less than the height of the pins.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

OBERLIN SMITH. 

